Book Report on Last Call The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

Book Report on Last Call The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition Dec 23, 2019 in Book Report The Rise of Prohibition In January, 1920, the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became operative. Since that time and till December, 1933 Americans were forbidden to produce, hold or deal out alcoholic beverages. However, Daniel Okrent demonstrates this time in his social work, Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, as the culmination of decades of social and political activism by a broad communion of anti-alcoholic citizens. What is more, there is still the echo of these effects in nowadays, both law and social custom, and it is a negative side of disturbing government policy. One may ask: How did this happen and why would Americans restrain their precious right to drink? Okrent gives the sobering answers in his book. The variant of Prohibition the author proposed is not a restriction in its usual way. Okrent makes it into the war made by small-town white Protestants. They felt beleaguered by the forces of change. There were a lot of authors, who described Prohibition, but Okrent proposes an amazingly unique story. This tale shows the way how its proponents united the fears of lots of Americans with legitimate concerns about the immorality of alcohol, to form a movement powerful enough to make corrections to the United States Constitution. Okrent describes the Prohibition era in a narrative and delightful way. He gives a list of the wettest cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, and San Francisco. However, the leader is Detroit, the corrupt metropolis, also known as the city on a still. Illegal alcohol business employed over 50000 people in this city. Surely, politicians or police officers were not involved. That seems very similar to nowadays business. That is why Okrent defies the chance to bond Prohibition to the current political situation. However, the comparison is rather persuasive. The book is full of different stories, which, in their turn, tell about different cities, towns, and even villages. Some of these cities are named and listed; some are not. Okrent has in his writing both wit and historical perspicacity. He shows the revelation of a confluence of diverse forces through the Prohibition: womens suffrage movement gains more political power; native-stock Protestants fear they have lost control over the immigrants of large cities; World War I stocked the anti-German attitudes, and a great range of other factors, which both affect the Prohibition and are affected by it. Okrent avoids political minutiae in his book. At the same time, he pays attention to the illumination of personalities. These factors make story readable. The author compares different facts, which appear in the time he describes, but avoids the comparison between past events of Prohibition and nowadays Drug Wars. It was mentioned above that he denied connecting his story to modern political life. However, even a casual reader can notice his sluggish ideas. Book does not discuss only the questions of Prohibition. It also covers other themes, but in the light of Prohibition. Okrent points out religious questions and prejudice generally, Jewish involvement in illegal liquor distribution, and sales. One man is arrested without any signs, to be suspected, just for his surname and religion. Lots of people could find this book interesting from the very first page. Okrent adds just enough humor and irony to his writing. That makes the book interesting without ruining the main line. The author pays the readers attention to the industrial questions. Wine industry became the most inconsequential player in this fight. At the same time, beer industry and ordinary brewers, due to their German roots, were engaged in internecine warfare. Anyway, it is not the end of the book. There is a continuous struggle of the whole country. The question of Prohibition is still under discussion. Even The Simpsons had the episode, which showed the Prohibitions consequences brightly. Prohibition from Okrents point of view is not only the consequences, but also the struggle, freedom-loving spirit of the nation, its sufferings (not for everybody it was the time of suffering, quite the contrary) and trying to survive both the World and Constitutional War. Conclusion The book, Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, is a significant discovery of the period and movements that lead to one of the nations biggest faults. It touches everything the reader expects speakeasies, gangsters, bootleggers. At the same time, it does not dwell on the obvious. Quite the contrary, the emphasis is made on the people and organizations, which formed and then defiled Prohibition. These people manipulated Presidents, Congress and public and fomented anti-immigrant politics and the fear of urbanism. A phenomenal job is made by the author, to bring all his ideas into life. He describes political events and personalities, carefully elucidating their roles in forming of the United States and the development of the country. He uses not the personalities, but their actions in a key historical period, in the chronicles of the republic. People needed more than ten years to understand all the consequences of Prohibition, such as increased lawlessness, corruption, greed and violence. Last Call leaves the reader wondering how long it will take, to stop and understand the consequences of nowadays Drug Wars and other Constitutional changes and amendments. It helps to make a conclusion by oneself, which is not the least of the facts making the book worth of attention.

The Evolutionary Theory Of Suicide - 3173 Words

The Evolutionary Cause of Suicide Seth Baker Shippensburg University Abstract Most knowledge that doesn’t seem to be taught but inherently known comes from passed down genetically from generation to generation. One of which is suicide, which does not seem like something that would help the survival of the people who pass it down but it may be about the greater good. In this paper I discuss the evolutionary benefits of suicide for the human population. These include such things as strengthening the will to live in those that survive less competition for resources, and support from those who went through the suffering, and that maybe suicide is a remnant of the survival of the fittest biological drive that propelled humans foreward. In this literature review the following will be discussed, is suicide an evolutionary trait, what â€Å"good† it might have done for the human race, and are the benefits still viable or has it become a vestigial evolutionary characteristic. In Why: The Neuroscience Of Suicide Carol Ezzell talks about her experience of losing her mother from suicide. She talks about the struggle and shock, the pain it caused her father and the rest of her family. She talks about her mother’s struggle with Bipolar disorder. That most people who commit suicide are sufferers of mental disorders and that along with this she brings up when she believes is the cause of suicide. Carol Ezzell believes it is a biologicalShow MoreRelatedâ€Å"Mental illnesses have evolved because it gives an advantage of fitness to the individual† How far1300 Words   |  6 Pagesat a disadvantage to fitness to the individual. Introduction: Social risk hypothesis: There are many hypotheses and models which study evolutionary theory and its relevance to depression. One example is the social risk hypothesis formulated by Allen and Baddock (2003) whom suggests that mild to moderate depression serves as an adaptive purpose in our evolutionary history; the idea being that depression brings about a risk- averse strategy which avoids exclusion from a social group which would offerRead MoreThe Significance Of Emotions And Moods973 Words   |  4 Pageshave a high negative affect, a high positive affect, a low positive affect or a low negative affect (Robbins Judge, 2009). Evolutionary Psychology and Affect Events theory are two important concepts to fully understand how important Emotions and Moods are, especially in my personal career field as a military policewoman. Evolutionary Psychology Evolutionary Psychology as defined by Robins and Judge, is â€Å"an area of inquiry which argues that we must experience the emotions we do becauseRead MoreEssay on The Religious Terrorist1509 Words   |  7 Pageseffect is a theory explained by Ariel Glucklich. The theory explains that the love for one’s faith and group is so strong that violence is the result. One would do whatever it takes to obtain such a love and desire for their religion. Along with this idea is that humans are susceptible to what society preaches versus what it says in the books. Therefore, it is the social aspect of religion that is really causing the violence, not the doctrinal view (Gibson, 2). Evolutionary Psychology, Suicide BombersRead MoreMajor Types Of Major Depressive Disorder1112 Words   |  5 Pagesdisabling condition that adversely affects a person s family, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. In the United States, around 3.4% of people with major depression commit suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicide had depression or another mood disorder. Suicide is characterized by a few things: the treatment for the symptoms, how the symptoms affects daily life Typically, people are treated with antidepressant medication and, in many cases, also receive counselingRead MoreThemes And Explanations Of Tasmania s Museum Of Old And New Art s New Exhibit The Red Queen1331 Words   |  6 PagesTHEORY ASSIGNMENT 2 AMY WHITE THE RED QUEEN EXHIBTION MONA â€Å"DELUXE SUICIDE SERVICE† By artist Meghan Broody â€Æ' â€Å"IF I HAD A WORLD OF MY OWN, EVERYTHING WOULD BE NONSENSE. NOTHING WOULD BE WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WOULD BE WHAT IT ISN T. AND CONTRARY WISE, WHAT IS, IT WOULDN T BE. AND WHAT IT WOULDN T BE, IT WOULD. YOU SEE?† ALICE - LEWIS CARROL (ALICE S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS QUOTES, N.D.) This essay will explore the themes and explanations of Tasmania’sRead MoreThe Theme of Fatalism in Antigone1032 Words   |  4 Pageswould result in his own misfortune but Antigone had already committed suicide. The fact that Creon freed Antigone under the fear that the prophet will prove right and he will die further reinstates the fatalistic nature of the story. Fully aware of her death, Antigone committed suicide as she lost hope in a twist of fate. Creons son committed suicide after knowing Antigone’s death before Creons wife, Eurydice, committed suicide due to immense sorrow brought by the loss of her son. Even if these charactersRead MoreEssay about The Sociological Framework of Harriet Martineau1007 Words   |  5 Pagesframework of classical sociological theory, numerous sources, including Ritzer, investigate this brave new world of unified science and empirical foundation. They are moving amidst the theory park of speculative philosophical systems in sociology and yet they are turning to theoretical applications such as elementarist, holistic, and interactionist approaches. This technique is employed in order to make classical social theory more meaningful and to better engage theory with useful research (SandywellRead MoreSociology as a Perspective 1332 Words   |  6 Pagescontributes to economic growth as it produces human labour thereby maintaining capitalism (Marsh 1996). Family impacts an individual’s lifestyle, norms, values and also shape’s their primary socialisation. The educational system imposes ideas and theories to students, for them to better understand and critique issues involved in their field of study. Educational institutes teach students to interact with their peers who might have different socio-economic backgrounds, communication skills and eachRead Morecompare two theories of self-esteem which contribute to our understanding of self-concept1096 Words   |  5 Pageswill compare two theories of self-esteem which contribute to our understanding of self-concept. The theories which I will be focused on are Bowlby’s and Harter’s. Bowlby theory Bowlby worked for many years as a child psychoanalyst so was clearly very influenced by Freud’s theories and child development. However, he also liked the work of Lorenz on the innate nature of bonds through imprinting and combined these two very different ideas to produce his own evolutionary theory of attachments. Read MoreThe Impacts of the Emergence of Sociology on the Works of Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx and Max Weber1057 Words   |  4 Pagesthrough reform because they feared socialism more than they feared capitalism. The main influence on Emile Durkheim’s work was industrialisation, i.e. the development of the modern world characterised by industrialisation. He used Darwin’s evolutionary theory to describe the situation, hence, the more alike two organisms are the greater the combat for resources will be. Because of urbanisation, there was an increase in moral density resulting in greater competition for resources and jobs. Furthermore

The Causes Of The Boston Massacre - 1211 Words

The first English colony in North America was founded at Jamestown, Virginia, in 160, with dreams of wealth and social prominence. Throughout the centuries, British colonists in North America took immense pride in the British Empire and the colonial upper class was even known to spend large amounts trying to emulate upper class English fashion and lifestyle. The colonies and its motherland shared this strong relationship until the 1760’s and the Seven Year war which was followed by years of civil unrest. One such example of unrest was the Boston massacre, which many view as the beginning of the end of British-colonial relations. The question is were the colonists killed â€Å"victims to the murderous rage of Wicked men† thus making the title†¦show more content†¦Much of Anger throughout North America came from those who were at best minimally impacted by the taxes, in fact most of the angry citizens in Boston worked part-time jobs or were even unemployed. The s ugar tax as well as the Stamp act, which put taxes on commercial and legal paper, hardly an important commodity of the lower or middle class, would not have affected them in proportion to their anger. Those that would benefit from the anger and opposition of these groups are the ones that the tax effects the most in the colonies, the upper class as well as those â€Å"Representatives from across North America [who] began to gather together in inter-colonial meetings, seeing for the first time their shared interests.† This â€Å"shared interest† was no doubt in increasing their hurt revenues through opposition to British rule. This was done by making the colonists place all their misfortunes and anger upon England until â€Å"demonstrations and riots were almost regular features of the colonists’ lives† (background, 82). Demonstrations done with â€Å"restrained, ritualized, often theatrical violence† and â€Å"carefully calibrated conduct† p roved to be tactical moves crucial toShow MoreRelatedCauses Of The Boston Massacre1459 Words   |  6 PagesBritish soldiers stationed in Boston Massachusetts. The massacre happened on March 5, between the British troops and a crowd in Boston. In the evening of that day, tension would reach a bloody and dangours point resulting in what has been named The Boston Massacre which had also been called the â€Å"Incident on King Street† by the British. This incident would turn out to be one of the major events leading to the American Revolution. The story about how the Boston Massacre happened always is differentRead MoreBoston Massacre A Turning Point Essay1368 Words   |  6 Pagesevents in history have been called â€Å"massacres†. They often resulted in hundreds of deaths, such as the slaughter of natives that came with the colonization of the Americas. Yet one of the most famous and significant massacres in American history resulted in only a handful of deaths. On May fifth, 1775, a mob of colonists attacked a patrol of nine British soldiers, who then fired upon the mob. Five colonists were killed, and six others injured (â€Å"Boston Massacre†). Preserved in an engraving by PaulRead MoreBoston Massacre Propaganda Essay994 Words   |  4 PagesWas the Boston Massacre used as propaganda after event took place? The Massacre occurred in 1770 on the night of March 5. The event resulted in the British army shooting and killing 5 men while under attack by a so called â€Å"mob†. The shootings took place right outside of The Old State House. Eight shooters were arrested, but soon after their trials it came down to only two of the six to be convicted of manslaughter. This led to colonial leaders like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams publicizing the eventRead More The Boston Massacre and Other Contributing Factors of the Revolutionary War1368 Words   |  6 PagesThe Boston Massacre and Other Contributing Factors of the Revolutionary War The Boston Massacre was not the only cause of the Revolutionary War. There were many events before and after that also contributed to the start of this war. They were the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Declaratory Act, Townshend Act, Quartering Act, Tea Act, the Boston Tea Party, and Coercive Acts. One of the first taxes put on the colonies by Britain was the Sugar Act. The Sugar Act of 1764 was to raise money to help ParliamentRead MoreA Massacre or a Riot? Essay1536 Words   |  7 PagesWas the Boston Massacre really a massacre? In history, there are many events where the exact occurrences are not clear. The Boston Massacre, which took place on the evening of March 5, 1770, was absolutely no exception. Evidence is spotty, details can be lacking, and testimonies are often told from a personal and bias perspective. Determining the bias of each testimony is key to learning the motivations behind each witness, which in turn is key in deciphering the actual events of the Boston MassacreRead MoreThe Battle Of Saratoga And Indian War981 Words   |  4 Pagesnewly acquired trade they won from the French. The British didn’t anticipate the Indians to keep fighting. The British had to surrender cause they were out of resources. They surrendered by signing the Proclomation of 1763. Do you know who passed the Sugar Act? The British passed the sugar act in 1763 to pay off their war debt. The colonist are upset cause they believe they had not started the war with the French and Indians. Colonist felt like they had no representation in parliament. Read MoreThe War Of The American Revolutionary War1104 Words   |  5 Pageslate 18th century America had its contentions with the British which led to the American Revolutionary war. Some of these contentions were; The Boston Massacre, The Boston Tea Party, and The Declaration of Independence. These events were the cause of the establishing of a new free country called The United States of America. The first troops came to Boston in October 1868 from that point on the colonists (which were Americans) were not happy with them because of the corrupted mischief that took placeRead MoreBoston Massacre Essay Outline1164 Words   |  5 PagesThe Boston Massacre occurred in the evening of The Boston Massacre began with a few colonists throwing snowballs at a soldier outside the Custom House in Boston, Massachusetts. (Text, 155) The argument began to escalate as more colonists gathered. Captain Thomas Preston arrived with a number of soldiers to maintain order. (Text, 155) Captain Preston tried to get the crowd to disperse; however, the crowd continued to throw snowballs, stones, and sticks at the British soldiers. Then one of the soldiersRead MoreAmerican Revolution - Summary Essay example939 Words   |  4 Pagesand they violently protested the Act. 1766- The Stamp Act is repealed. 1768- British troops arrive in Boston to enforce laws. 1770- Four workers are shot by British troops stationed in Boston. The American Patriots labeled the killings The Boston Massacre. 1773- Massachusetts patriots dressed as Mohawk Indians protest the British Tea Act by dumping crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. The British Tea Act was when the British increased the taxes on tea that were shipped to the coloniesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Boston Massacre 923 Words   |  4 Pages After watching the John Adams movie, I had a better understanding about what happened in Boston, Massachusetts in the eighteenth century that showed the crisis between British and Americans, which later led to the American Revolution. The movie was about John Adams, who was an ambitious lawyer in Boston and defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. In the Boston Massacre, eight British soldiers were accused of killing five Americans. This event reflected the tension between British

High Remarks for Hybrid Cars Free Essays

QUESTION: Describe the different types of hybrid cars and how they are improving fuel efficiency. What are other pros and cons of driving a hybrid? —————————————————————————————————- High Remarks for Hybrid Cars It is no secret that one of the most popular trends in today’s society is â€Å"going green† to help the economy, save the world, and so on. It is also no secret that gasoline prices have steadily increased over the years, and four dollars a gallon does not exactly agree with our wallets. We will write a custom essay sample on High Remarks for Hybrid Cars or any similar topic only for you Order Now In an effort to â€Å"go green† and save money on gasoline, hybrid cars have recently become a great option for those interested in getting high gas mileage and saving lots of money†¦ or so they think. Although hybrid cars have high gas mileage and extend the time between visits to the pump, reviewing the raw facts about hybrid cars while asking the question â€Å"Do hybrid cars seem like a money-saving solution? † is a wise decision. While there are many different kinds of hybrid cars, they all share one common trait: a traditional, gasoline-powered motor and a new electric, battery-powered motor are both found within the vehicles. These vehicles use both motors at different times when on the go: the electric motor powers the vehicle when going less than 40 miles per hour, while the gas motor powers the vehicle at speeds greater than 40 miles per hour. While the functions of both motors may seem unimportant to some, consider stop-and-go rush hour traffic. Not only does the electric motor reduce smog levels due to its exhaust-free trait, but it also helps to save gasoline that is wasted when frequently pressing the accelerator. Another plausible scenario to consider is living in a small town where the speed limit rarely exceeds 40 miles per hour; traveling through these towns on electric energy can save gallons of gas, giving our wallets time to become more plump between each visit to the pump. The efficiency of hybrids are found in the vehicles’ aero dynamics, weight reduction, and less powerful gas engine, making hybrid cars the most gasoline efficient vehicles on the market; these vehicles get an outstanding average of 48 to 60 miles per gallon. Although hybrid cars seem like the most logical way to go, a closer look at the cons of these vehicles can make anyone think twice. Because hybrids have both a gasoline-powered motor and a battery-powered motor, they are more likely to break down or malfunction due to the complexity of the system as a whole. These malfunctions can easily put the vehicle in an auto shop, causing an inconvenience on our schedules and our wallets. While hybrid cars do save gas when caught in stop-and-go traffic or driving through low-speed areas, the total savings aren’t exactly tremendous. Comparing a Honda Insight (hybrid car) and a Honda Civic (regular car), the annual difference between the fuel bills is only $230. While this may seem like a decent amount to save each year, take a closer look at the price of the two cars. Because hybrid cars are new, popular, and â€Å"money savers† (such as the Honda Insight), they costs a significant amount more than the standard cars equipped for saving gas (such as the Honda Civic); hybrid cars range from about $19,000 to $25,000, while gas-saving cars range from $14,000 to $17,000. People purchase these cars because the companies who sell them claim to save the consumers a fortune in gasoline expenses, however this doesn’t seem to be the case when closely looking at these numbers. Over a ten year time period, a hybrid car would save approximately $2,300 in fuel expenses, but this amount of money fails to cover the payment difference for the car itself as opposed to a regular, strictly gasoline car (the difference between the cars being anywhere from $5,000 to $8,000). Hybrid cars also claim to get anywhere from 48 to 60 miles per gallon, which is a plus. However, this gas mileage is only about 20% to 35% better than a gas saving vehicle; gas saving vehicles, such as the Honda Civic, still get a decent average of 36 miles per gallon. After reviewing the price difference between the hybrid and a gas saving vehicle, the inability of the hybrid to replenish the money difference between itself and gas saving vehicles, the small amount of savings the hybrid annually provides at the pump, and the minuscule difference between gas mileage, an answer shouldn’t be difficult to reach: Do hybrid cars seem like a money-saving solution? How to cite High Remarks for Hybrid Cars, Essay examples

Silent Film and Music Essay Example For Students

Silent Film and Music Essay Describe the three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era and cites specific examples from The Birth of a Nation. (10 points) The three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era are Adaptations of Classics, Arrangements of tunes, and newly composed music. In most cases, adaptation of classics involves action and dramatic scenes. It is borrowing a large amount of an already existing composition for use in film score. In The Birth of a Nation, Mozart music was used for the ending of the movie and also in the scene that showed Lincoln assassination. The main use of classical work is during a tense, apprehensive, action or violent moment. Arrangements of tunes are mainly used to set moods, bring out emotions or to create an outlook. The musician, Joseph Brail, included tunes in The Birth of a Nation, such as Maryland and Dixie, to create a sense of brighter, less tense feel. The third type of music that is heard in original scores is new music. New music is original in the sense that it is not borrowed or taken from anywhere else. It is created for the film. D. W Griffith uses the music to represent the theme and the aspect of the story and to alter the themes. Griffith also uses new music to reflect changes that are taking place in the story. 1. Describe the three basic types of music heard in original scores during the silent film era and cites specific examples from The Birth of a Nation. (10 points) Silent Film and Music By simooms uses new music to reflect changes that are taking place in the story. Already existing composition for use in film score. In The Birth of a Nation, Mozart music was used for the ending of the movie and also in the scene that showed Lincoln assassination. The main use of classical work is during a tense, apprehensive, action r violent moment. Arrangements of tunes are mainly used to set moods, bring out emotions or to create an outlook. The musician, Joseph Brail, included tunes in The Birth of a Nation, such as Maryland and Dixie, to create a sense of brighter, less tense feel. The third type of music that is heard in original scores is new music. New music is original in the sense that it is not borrowed or taken from anywhere else. It is created for the film. D. W Griffith uses the music to represent the theme and the aspect of the story and to alter the themes. Griffith also uses new music to reflect hanged that are taking place in the story. Already existing composition for use in film score. In The Birth of a Nation, Mozart music was used for the ending of the movie and also in the scene that showed Lincoln assassination. The main use of classical work is during a tense, apprehensive, action or violent moment. Arrangements of tunes are mainly used to set moods, bring out emotions or to create an outlook. The musicia n, Joseph Brail, included tunes in The Birth of a Nation, such as Maryland and Dixie, to create a sense of brighter, less tense feel. The third type of music that s heard in original scores is new music. New music is original in the sense that it is not borrowed or taken from anywhere else. It is created for the film. D. W Griffith uses Griffith also uses new music to reflect changes that are taking place in the story. Already existing composition for use in film score. In The Birth of a Nation, Mozart music was used for the ending of the movie and also in the scene that showed Lincoln assassination. The main use of classical work is during a tense, uses new music to reflect changes that are taking place in the story. Already existing changes that are taking place in the story.

Financial Case Polo Ralph Lauran Essay Example

Financial Case Polo Ralph Lauran Paper The results show that RL is managing its balance sheet very well; especially in he categories of profitability, capital efficiency, liquidity and financial leverage. The results also show that Rills operations are running proficiently when viewing the CARR, Debt/Asset Ratio, and Gross Profit Margin results. Two areas were highlighted as chances to Improve the overall productivity of the company and should be addressed accordingly. The areas include liquidity (quick ratio) and market valuation (market perception based on Price per Earning PIE). Once these areas were improved, the company will not have any significant risks to be concerned about. By 2013, Rills ability to quickly use their cash and convert other current assets into cash has decreased by 13. 4%, which might put their ability to fulfill their short-term obligations and debts In risk. However, RL Is still at top of peers In this area. During the same year, PIE ratio of RL has decreased by 24%, which Indicates that the market has poor expectation of the companys future earning. RL depends on department stores in selling their products especially in the US and Canada, which gives them little influence on what these department stores buy and offer their customers, or how they display their products. Also, department stores may force RL to merchandise at lower prices to Increase their margin, which consequently effect Rills Background Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) was founded by an American designer Ralph Lauren in 1967 and currently centered in New York. The company grew magnificently in the sass and has become one of the best-known sophisticated designs in the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Case Polo Ralph Lauran specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Case Polo Ralph Lauran specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Financial Case Polo Ralph Lauran specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The company currently sells a huge collection of products including fragrances and accessories for men and women, clothing for young boys and infants, and a variety of housewives, shoes, furs, Jewelry, leather goods, hats, and year. (Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, 2014) Adding to its success Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) now runs a line of restaurants as well. According to outside analysts offering 12-month price targets, Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation has a median target of $176. 50 per share, with a high estimate of $210. 00 and a low estimate of $148. 00. Outside analysts are now estimating an average post of $8. 77 earnings per share for Ralph Lauren Corp. in the current fiscal year. Ralph Lauren Corpss revenue now boosted to 13. 6% compared to the same quarter last year. (WAKE News Analysis report, 2014). As the newly assigned SCOFF of Ralph Lauren Corpss, I have enfolded a comprehensive financial analysis of our company to give us an overall understanding on the performance and the health of our company. Such analysis will help us identify the areas that are performing well and determine areas that require improvements and more attention. The findings of this report will be used as a strategy to improve our company and help our business be at the cutting edge; hence ensure that our products and services remain up to date and meet the constant change in consumers and investors demands. Figure Current Company forecast by external analysts Analysis In order to support my conclusions and recommendations, the analysis part below contains a detailed comparison of the financial metric between Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) and its peers Barometric Fitch Company (NAP), Reportable, INC. (ROAR), and GAP, INC. GAPS). I have conducted a financial performance analysis using the following ratio classifications: profitability, capital efficiency, liquidity, financial leverage management, market valuation, and a 3-year DuPont Analysis of RL during the period of 2011 through 2013, in compare to its peers in the same retail industry. Profitability The Revenue Analysis graph shows the revenues of Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) in compare to our three main competitor companies within the retail industry, Barometric Fitch Company Class A (NAP), Reportable, INC. (ROAR), and GAP, INC. (GAPS). Figure 3-year Revenue comparison Figure Compound Annual Growth Rate Figure 2 shows a line chart comparing the revenues of the four companies from the financial year of 2011 to 2013. As seen in figure 2, the revenue of RL has increased by 21% in 2012 and continues to increase slowly in 2013. The rise in revenues could be result of the companys high margins on its various brands, especially in the Collection brands. (Trifles, 2014) Also, wholesale revenues have increased by 14% to reach $840 million, as a result of the companys strong performance in North American and European operations. Trifles, 2014) On the other hand, GAP, INC. Has considerably high revenues compared to the other three companies. Most of Gaps products are made with cotton, which prices have begun to recede recently. However, this made Gaps clothing relatively cheap and affordable and helped the company increases its profit margins. Barometric Fitch Co. s (NAP) and Reportable, Inc. s, (ROAR), stock seem to have l ost their appeal for investors, especially since the brands are no longer as popular as they were back in the ass, which explain the flat lines in their revenues in the period of 2011 through 2013. Figure 3 shows the Compound Annual growth rate in percentages for the four companies. RL has a growth rate of 10. 8 %, which is highest among the competitors. The high growth rate could be due to Rills recent enhancements in the retail channel by opening more stores and serving more countries through the e-commerce channel. (Trifles, 2014) Analysis for Gross Profit The gross profit comparison shown in Figure 4 illustrates how efficiently companies use labor and supplies in the production and distribution. This indicates that GAP, INC uses its resources more efficiently compared to RL. However, Ralph Laurels gross profit in 2012 grew belly 5. 5%, mainly driven by better channel and product mix. Revenue and Profitability health. It also counts as a source for paying additional expenses and future savings. Without a sufficient gross margin, the company will suffer in paying its expenses, therefore wont have the opportunity to expand in the future. In general, the higher he profit margin, the better the company performance. (Investigated). Figure 5 shows the 3-Year gross profit margin for the four companies. As we can see the profitability of RL is considerably high in a constant level, rising slightly in 2013. Which indicates that RL has performed well and is a healthy and sustainable corporation, coming in second to Barometric Fitch Co. s (NAP) and faring far better when compared to three other competitors. Capital Efficiency Return on Assets The return on Assets is an indicator of how profitable a company is in relation to its overall resources (total assets). ROAR shows the investors how efficient management is at using its assets to generate earnings. (Investigated). The return on Assets for the four companies is shown in Figure 6. RL comes second to GAP, INC in showing continuous improvements year after year, which indicates that they are both using their assets better each year. Return on Equity ROE validates a companys ability to generate profits from shareholders equity. A company of high return on equity is more capable of generating cash internally. (Investing for Beginners). Figure Return On Equity The return on equity comparison seen in Figure 7 shows that Rills ROE rises by 8. % from 2011 to 2012 with a slight increase in 2013. This indicates that Rills management is doing an excellent Job in generating a return from shareholders investments. With 42. 2% ROE rate, GAP, INC recorded the highest return on equity rate the retail industry. Barometric Fitch Co. s (NAP) seems to have a stable ROE with a slight decrease during 2013. Reportable, Inc. On the other hand, shows a significant drop in the ROE, which is an indication off major weakness within the corporation. ROE is further analyzed through DuPont model at the end of this report. Quick Ratio Quick ratio measures the ability of a company to use their cash and other current assets that are convertible into cash in order to fulfill the short-term obligations of the organization. The higher the quick ratio is, the better the companys liquidity position (Accounting-simplifier) Figure Quick Ratio Comparison The quick ratio comparison seen in Figure 8 shows that Rills ability to use its cash and current assets paying its debts is decreasing by 13. 4% from 2011 to 2013. However, the quick ratio rate of RL is much higher than its competitors and at the same time higher than the ideal quick ratio rate, which is 1:1. This indicates that we have enough current assets to pay our short-term debt. Financial Leverage Debt to Assets ratio Total debt to total assets is a leverage ratio that states the total amount of debt the company owes in compare to its assets. If the ratio is less than one, it indicates that most of the companys assets are funded through equity. If the ratio is greater than one, then most of the companys assets are funded through debt. (Investor words). As seen from the debt-asset ratio chart shown in Figure 9, all retail companies have a ratio less than 1, which indicates that all the assets of the companies are not funded through debts. The ratio of RL has been decreasing gradually from 2011 onwards. It is preferable to have a lower debt to assets ratio to insure that the companys flow of cash and borrowing will not be held back. Reportable, Inc. Has a dramatic increase in their debt to asset ratio, which indicates that the company started to be funded through debt. Barometric Fitch Co. s has a stable and flat line throughout the period of 2011 to 2013. GAP, INC has the highest ratio among competitors. Market Valuation Price to Earnings ratio Figure PIE Ratio comparison PIE is a financial metric that measures the attractiveness of a companys stock price ND determines if a stock is trading on an investment. In general, a high PIE implies that investors are expecting higher earnings growth in the future compared to As seen in Figure 10, PIE ratio of RL falls by 24% throughout the period of 2011 to 2013. Barometric Fitch Co. Tend to have a high PIE ratio in 2011 followed by a drastic decrease by 64% and manage to recover to reach out to 49. 32 % PIE rate in 2013. On the other hand, the rate of price per earning of Reportable, Inc. Has decreased radically between 2012 and 2013, which indicates that investors are expecting poor future earnings for the company. GAP, INC has a relatively low and yet slowly increasing PIE rate. DuPont Analysis Measures 2011 2012 2013 Profit Margin 10. 04% 9. 93% 10. 80% Assets turnover 1. 14 1. 27 1. 28 Fin Leverage 1. 51 1. 48 1. 43 ROE DuPont model Check (%) 17. 19% 18. 65% 19. 82% The above table is a deeper analysis of ROE for RL for the period between 2011-2013. By dividing return on equity of a company into three parts, The DuPont Analysis helps locate the part of the company that is underperforming, and therefore facilitate addressing this issue. The slight decrease in Rills profit margin during 2012 could be he result of our plan to expand by opening new stores in several locations worldwide. However, our profit margin has Jumped to 10. 80% in 2013. Assets turnover ratio has been slightly increasing through 2011 to 2013, which indicates that RL is capable of quickly turning over its asset through sales. And finally, the financial leverage shows that the companys liabilities are decreasing. Summary of results ranked in the financial performance per category. The scorecard of green specifies areas of strength with respect to being in the middle or on the upper end of the peer roof. The scorecard of Lime Green also meant in some cases that the trend line is increasing in the right direction. The scorecard used yellow to indicate average performance or an indication of a trend line starting to decrease. The color Red is a signal of being at the bottom of the peer scores and/or if there was a major concern with a continued decreasing performance. Conclusions and Recommendations Polo/Ralph Lauren Corporation competes in a very competitive industry, with a high rivalry rate. Although some competitors are bigger and have more resources than RL, et RL managed to establish a well-recognized and popular brand name in the fashion industry. The peer group financial performance analysis shows that under the current difficult economic situation, Ralph Lauren Corporation has a pretty optimistic overall financial performance. To specify, RL is managing its balance sheet very well in the categories of Profitability, Capital Efficiency, and Financial Leverage. The only areas of concern are liquidity (quick ratio) and Market Valuation. Our ability to use our cash and convert other current assets into cash has decreased by 13. 4% in 013, which means that we might find it difficult to meet our short-term obligations and debts. Nonetheless, we are still at top of peers in this area. The PIE ratio shows how the market perceives our company in compare with the peer group. RL has a median PIE rate however it is gradually decreasing which indicates that investors dont have high expectations on our future earnings. This forecasts a future risk regarding the market perception of RL as not being viewed as outperforming its peer group for growth. In order to address this concern, I recommend setting up a meeting with the executive management including the product strategy and

Silicon vs. Silicone

Silicon vs. Silicone Silicon vs. Silicone Silicon vs. Silicone By Maeve Maddox A reader has observed confusion between the words silicon and silicone and has asked for a post to illustrate the difference. Silicon (chemical symbol Si) is a non-metallic element that ranks next to oxygen in respect of abundance in the ground. Silicone is a chemical compound that contains silicon. The teeny plates that contain a set of electronic circuits are usually made of silicon. Because so many silicon chip manufacturers located their facilities in the Santa Clara Valley south of San Francisco, the area came to be known as â€Å"Silicon Valley.† Silicone has a great many different applications for everything from breast implants to spacecraft assembly. It’s used in the manufacture of textiles, paint, cosmetics, and cookware with non-stick surfaces. Here are some examples from the Web in which the words appear to be unintentionally reversed: Plan your busy social life with this fun planner from the Silicone Valley collection.  - a stationery site. Social Media Goes to Washington - Obama Heads to Silicone Valley - a news site. Some years ago, when silicon baking wares came out, I jumped on them with glee.  - a personal blog. Sometimes, the â€Å"error† is deliberate. For example, an episode of the television series Botched is called â€Å"Silicone Valley.† It’s about a woman who has had numerous plastic surgeries with horrific results. An article in Newsweek is headed â€Å"Home: It’s Silicone Valley.† The article is about silicone cookware. A car wash located in Miami, Florida is called â€Å"Silicone Valley Car Wash.† Silicone is an ingredient in some car waxes. If you are referring to the element, the valley, or computer chips, spell the word silicon. For products or applications, spell it silicone. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowYay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other AcclamationsNeither... or?